The Women’s World Chess Championship takes place on March 17 – April 7 in Sochi, Krasnaya Polyana, Estosadok, CS Galactica, Achipsinskaya street 12.
The knock-out tournament is attended by 64 players, including the former World Champions Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia), Anna Ushenina (Ukraine), and Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria), the three-time Russian champion Valentina Gunina, the World Vice-Champion Humpy Koneru (India), and other leading grandmasters.
The first five rounds consist of two games with 90 moves per 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with bonus 30 seconds per each move. The final match consists of four games.
If the match score is tied, its winner is determined on the tie-break: two rapid games of 25 minutes + 10 seconds per move. If the score remains equal, the players proceed to another two games with a slightly faster time control – 10 minutes + 10 seconds per move. If these games do not determine the winner as well, then there are two blitz games: 5 minutes + 3 seconds per move. Finally, if the score is still even, there is an Armageddon game: White has 5 minutes, Black has 4 minutes, 3 seconds per move are added after the move 61, and a draw counts as a win for Black. The tie-break for the final match consists of four rapid games.
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The opening ceremony takes place on March 16 at 8 pm in the Okhotnichij Hall of the Grand Hotel Polyana (Krasnaya Polyana, Estosadok, Achipsinskaya street, 16B).
Press-conferences
March 16, 7 pm, at the press-center in CS Galactica, attended by
A. V. Dvorkovich, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Russian Deputy Prime Minister,
K. N. Ilyumzhinov, the FIDE President,
A. V. Filatov, the RCF President,
Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia), the 12th World Champion,
Humpy Koneru (India), the highest rated player of the championship.
March 17, 3:30 pm, at the press-center in CS Galactica, attended by
K. N. Ilyumzhinov, the FIDE President,
A. V. Filatov, the RCF President,
Z. Vereczi, Chief Arbiter of the championship,
T. A. Gvilava, President of the “Sistema” Charity Fund,
Galina Roketskaya, Chairman of the All-Russian NPO “Women in Business”,
Elena Pakhomova, Head of the Sochi branch of the All-Russian NPO “Women in Business”,
the topic of chess at schools will be discussed.
Schedule: Round 1 – March 17-19, Round 2 – March 20-22, Round 3 – March 23-25, Quarterfinals – March 26-28, Semifinals – March 29-31, Finals – April 2-5.
April 1 is a day off. All games start at 15.00 msk.
For press credentials please contact the RCF Press Officer Eteri Kublashvili: ekublashvili@gmail.com.
